51124 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 169 / Friday, August 29, 2008 / Proposed Rules DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR regulations process, and dealt with the public comment. The comment period establishment of seasons, limits, and is specified above under DATES. We will Fish and Wildlife Service other regulations for hunting migratory publish final regulatory frameworks for game birds under §§ 20.101 through late-season migratory game bird hunting 50 CFR Part 20 20.107, 20.109, and 20.110 of subpart K. in the Federal Register on or around [FWS–R9–MB–2008–0032; 91200–1231– Major steps in the 2008–09 regulatory September 22, 2008. 9BPP–L2] cycle relating to open public meetings and Federal Register notifications were Population Status and Harvest RIN 1018–AV62 also identified in the May 28 proposed The following paragraphs provide a rule. Further, we explained that all Migratory Bird Hunting; Proposed brief summary of information on the sections of subsequent documents Frameworks for Late-Season Migratory status and harvest of waterfowl outlining hunting frameworks and Bird Hunting Regulations excerpted from various reports. For guidelines were organized under more detailed information on AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, numbered headings. methodologies and results, you may Interior. On June 18, 2008, we published in the obtain complete copies of the various ACTION: Proposed rule; supplemental. Federal Register (73 FR 34692) a second reports at the address indicated under document providing supplemental ADDRESSES or from our Web site at SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service proposals for early- and late-season http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/ (hereinafter Service or we) is proposing migratory bird hunting regulations. The reports/reports.html. to establish the 2008–09 late-season June 18 supplement also provided hunting regulations for certain detailed information on the 2008–09 Status of Ducks migratory game birds. We annually regulatory schedule and announced the Federal, provincial, and State prescribe frameworks, or outer limits, SRC and Flyway Council meetings. agencies conduct surveys each spring to On June 25 and 26, we held open for dates and times when hunting may estimate the size of breeding meetings with the Flyway Council occur and the number of birds that may populations and to evaluate the Consultants, at which the participants be taken and possessed in late seasons. conditions of the habitats. These These frameworks are necessary to reviewed information on the current status of migratory shore and upland surveys are conducted using fixed-wing allow State selections of seasons and aircraft and helicopters and encompass limits and to allow recreational harvest game birds and developed recommendations for the 2008–09 principal breeding areas of North at levels compatible with population America, and cover over 2.0 million and habitat conditions. regulations for these species plus regulations for migratory game birds in square miles. The Traditional survey DATES: You must submit comments on Alaska, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin area comprises Alaska, Canada, and the the proposed migratory bird hunting Islands; special September waterfowl northcentral United States, and includes late-season frameworks by September 8, seasons in designated States; special sea approximately 1.3 million square miles. 2008. duck seasons in the Atlantic Flyway; The Eastern survey area includes parts ADDRESSES: You may submit comments and extended falconry seasons. In of Ontario, Quebec, Labrador, on the proposals by one of the following addition, we reviewed and discussed Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince methods: Edward Island, New Brunswick, New • preliminary information on the status of Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// waterfowl as it relates to the York, and Maine, an area of www.regulations.gov. Follow the development and selection of the approximately 0.7 million square miles. instructions for submitting comments. • regulatory packages for the 2008–09 Breeding Ground Conditions U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public regular waterfowl seasons. On July 24, Comments Processing, Attn: 1018– 2008, we published in the Federal Habitat conditions during the 2008 AV62; Division of Policy and Directives Register (73 FR 43290) a third document Waterfowl Breeding Population and Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife specifically dealing with the proposed Habitat Survey were characterized in Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite frameworks for early-season regulations. many areas by a delayed spring 222; Arlington, VA 22203. On August 27, 2008, we published a compared to several preceding years. We will not accept e-mail or faxes. We rulemaking establishing final Drought in many parts of the traditional will post all comments on http:// frameworks for early-season migratory survey area contrasted sharply with www.regulations.gov. This generally bird hunting regulations for the 2008–09 record snow and rainfall in the eastern means that we will post any personal season. survey area. The total pond estimate information you provide us (see the On July 30–31, 2008, we held open (Prairie Canada and United States Public Comments section below for meetings with the Flyway Council combined) was 4.4 ± 0.2 million ponds, more information). Consultants, at which the participants 37 percent below last year’s estimate of FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron reviewed the status of waterfowl and 7.0 ± 0.3 million ponds and 10 percent W. Kokel, U.S. Fish and Wildlife developed recommendations for the lower than the long-term average of 4.9 Service, Department of the Interior, MS 2008–09 regulations for these species. ± 0.03 million ponds. The 2008 estimate MBSP–4107–ARLSQ, 1849 C Street, This document deals specifically with of ponds in Prairie Canada was 3.1 ± 0.1 NW., Washington, DC 20240; (703) 358– proposed frameworks for the late-season million. This was a 39 percent decrease 1714. migratory bird hunting regulations. It from last year’s estimate (5.0 ± 0.3 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: will lead to final frameworks from million), and 11 percent below the which States may select season dates, 1955–2007 average (3.4 ± 0.03 million). Regulations Schedule for 2008 shooting hours, areas, and limits. The 2008 pond estimate for the north- On May 28, 2008, we published in the We have considered all pertinent central United States (1.4 ± 0.1 million) Federal Register (73 FR 30712) a comments received through August 1, was 30 percent lower than last year’s proposal to amend 50 CFR part 20. The 2008, in developing this document. In estimate (2.0 ± 0.1 million) and 11 proposal provided a background and addition, new proposals for certain late- percent below the long-term average (1.5 overview of the migratory bird hunting season regulations are provided for ± 0.02 million). VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:43 Aug 28, 2008 Jkt 214001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\29AUP2.SGM 29AUP2 jlentini on PROD1PC65 with PROPOSALS2 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 169 / Friday, August 29, 2008 / Proposed Rules 51125 Breeding Population Status Fall Flight Estimate white-fronted geese. No populations showed a significant negative 10-year In the Waterfowl Breeding Population The mid-continent mallard population is composed of mallards trend. The forecast for the production of and Habitat Survey traditional survey geese and swans in North America in area (strata 1–18, 20–50, and 75–77), the from the traditional survey area (revised in 2008 to exclude Alaska mallards), 2008 is regionally variable, but total duck population estimate was 37.3 production for many populations will ± 0.6 [SE] million birds. This was 9 Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, and was estimated to be 7.7 ± 0.3 be improved from the generally low percent lower than last year’s estimate million. This was similar to the revised production observed in 2007. of 41.2 ± 0.7 million birds, but 11 2007 estimate of 8.5 ± 0.3 million. In Waterfowl Harvest and Hunter Activity percent above the 1955–2007 long-term 2007, we reported a projected mallard average. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) National surveys of migratory bird fall-flight index of 11.4 million ± 1.0 abundance was 7.7 ± 0.3 million birds, hunters were conducted during the 2006 ± million. After the removal of Alaska and 2007 hunting seasons. About 1.2 similar to last year’s estimate of 8.3 0.3 mallards from the mid-continent stock, million birds and to the long-term million waterfowl hunters harvested the revised 2007 fall-flight estimate was ± average. Blue-winged teal (A. discors) 13,808,100 ( 4 percent) ducks and 10.9 ± 1.0 million, which was not ± estimated abundance was 6.6 ± 0.3 3,579,100 ( 5 percent) geese in 2006, significantly different from the 2008 and harvested 14,578,900 (± 4 percent) million birds similar to last year’s estimate of 9.2 ± 0.8 million. These ± estimate of 6.7 ± 0.4 million birds, and ducks and 3,666,100 ( 6 percent) geese indices were based on mid-continent in 2007. Mallard, green-winged teal, 45 percent above the long-term average. mallard population models revised in Estimated abundances of gadwall (A. gadwall, blue-winged/cinnamon teal 2002, and the 2008 updated model (Anas cyanoptera), and wood duck (Aix strepera; 2.7 ± 0.2 million) and northern weights, and therefore differ from those sponsa) were the most-harvested duck shovelers (A. clypeata; 3.5 ± 0.2 million) previously published. species, and Canada goose was the were lower than those of last year (¥19 See section 1.A. Harvest Strategy ¥ predominant goose species in the percent and 23 percent, respectively), Considerations for further discussion of harvest. Coot hunters (about 39,400 in but both remained 56 percent above the implications of this information for 2006 and 33,700 in 2007) harvested their long-term averages. Estimated this year’s selection of the appropriate 199,100 (± 29 percent) coots in 2006 and abundance of American wigeon (A.